Album Notes

1. Sev kardeşim - Better known as Turkish Hora to members of the US international folkdance cult, this is one of Senay Yuzbasioglu’s most famous songs. Although it may have been preceded by the equally lovely Hebrew version, Veshuv Itchem, made popular by Ilanit.

2. Guisevska Racenica - Also known as Pazardziska Racenica, this is a traditional Bulgarian dance tune that forces Biff to channel the late, great Boris Karlov.

3. Marakebna Al Mina - From the Assi and Mansour Rahbani operetta The Days of Fakhr Eddine. In her first professional recording ever, our Algerian friend Myriam Darsouni performs the wonderful Arabic vocal. One would have to be a little crazy (or reptilian) to try and surpass the version by Fairuz.

4. Skeleton Dance- ©1986 Seth S. Blair, BMI. Sandy Bradley and the Small Wonders String Band played this song (once) on Prairie Home Companion, which makes it Seth’s big hit.

5. Lycanthropy - Biff U. Blumfumgagnge, ©2012 Beeftone Music, BMI - Get Bill Feeny on the phone and this is what happens. What a weirdo.

6. Snosti si Rada pristana- Also known as Kjustendilska Racenica, this is a traditional Bulgarian barn-burner.

7. Bavno Horo- Also known as Makedonsko Horo, this is another traditional Bulgarian dance tune that we learned from Boris Karlov’s recording.

8. Lactic Acid- ©2012 Seth S. Blair, BMI. The last section is what fancy composers call aleatory.

9. Veselinovo Horo- A traditional Bulgarian pravo.

10. Rude Oud- Biff U. Blumfumgagnge, ©2012 Beeftone Music, BMI - The Oud is a pear-shaped instrument, brother to the Lute, but without frets. But don't fret, because it makes hypnotic microtonal music. Biff claims that no Ouds were harmed in the making of this recording.

11. Wash Your Hands- By the calypso great Rafael Arias Cairi Llama de Leon, aka Roaring Lion. Microhits Music Corp, ASCAP.

12. Applebee OK- ©2011, Seth S. Blair, BMI. Little Gil’s first command. Seth read afterwards that the melody is in the D major-minor scale (also called, oddly, D Hindu, even though it really isn’t).

13. Byala Roza - The White Rose, this was a big hit for Slavka Kalcheva. And for us.

14. Žensko Čamče- A traditional Macedonian dance melody that we learned from Atanas Kolarovski's album Songs and Dances of Yugoslavia. This is Bill’s favorite tune to announce, and Greg’s favorite tune to try and finish after Biff and Robert get out of control.